Gray, R.

Internet Lesson Plan

Reflection
3.1 Classroom Management & Collaborative Learning
Candidates model and facilitate effective classroom management and collaborative learning
strategies to maximize teacher and student use of digital tools and resources.
There are two artifacts that demonstrate my ability to model and facilitate effective
classroom management and collaborative learning strategies. The first artifact The Internet
Lesson Plan was created in the ITEC 7430 Internet Tools in the Classroom course. This artifact
required students to collaborate on a multimedia timeline project detailing the History of Theater.
The second artifact was created in my EDRS 8900 Applied Field Research course and is a
research study artifact entitled, Increasing Cultural Awareness and Identity in At-Risk
Students: Using Technology to Support Multicultural Education. This artifact was a research
study that required students to collaborate with a peer in order to create a digital story.
The first artifact The Internet Lesson Plan demonstrates my ability to model and
facilitate effective classroom management because this artifact gave students a voice and a
choice in regards to how they wanted to complete this assignment. When educators give
students a choice and opportunities for collaboration, student motivation and academic
achievement increase and negative behaviors decrease (Toshalis & Nakkula, 2012). This artifact
required students to collaborate on a multimedia timeline project detailing the History of Theater.
To complete this project, students used critical thinking and problem-solving skills to create,
collaborate, and communicate with their peers, as they produced a multimedia timeline for
students in the lower level theater courses. This artifact is Project Based because I set clear goals
for students to achieve; I over planned for those students who finished tasks early; I
differentiated instruction by allowing students to choose the best way to complete assignments; I
gave concrete deadlines to let students know what was due each day; I gave prior insight into

Gray, R.
Internet Lesson Plan
Reflection
what was expected of students by sharing rubrics in advance, and I used self-reflection by taking
notes on the positives and the negatives of the project (Canney, 2015). By allowing students to
create a product for their peers in a lower level course, the students moved from students to
teachers. As a result of self-regulated learning, students became responsible for their own
learning and students were engaged in the learning process, thus decreasing negative classroom
behaviors (An Introduction to Project-Based Learning, 2010; Toshalis & Nakkula, 2012).
I was also able to model and facilitate effective classroom management by providing
parents and students with consent forms and rubrics that provided a clear expectation of what
was expected throughout the course of this assignment. The parental consent form provided
parents information on Common Web applications students would use to complete the project, as
well as expected student responsibilities and behaviors. Before beginning their projects, students
were informed of Cobb County School Districts Internet Acceptable use policy as well, the
schools laptop rules and regulations policy. After discussing student expectations, students were
given a contract to sign. Rubrics were provided to give prior insight into what was expected in
order to increase achievement.
The research study artifact entitled, Increasing Cultural Awareness and Identity in AtRisk Students: Using Technology to Support Multicultural Education demonstrates my ability
to modeling and facilitating effective collaborative learning strategies. During the study,
participants were placed groups of two, to determine their level of cultural awareness.
Throughout the study, students of various ethnic and religious backgrounds created two digital
stories using PowerPoint, Audacity, and Windows Movie Maker. This software was used to
create a digital narrative of the participants lives, family, language, and culture. The second
digital story was created to describe the cultural life of a classmate of a different race or culture.

Gray, R.
Internet Lesson Plan
Reflection
This study found that by creating these digital narratives, students not only increased their sense
of cultural awareness, but it also served as a teaching opportunity to educate their peers and
dispel any negative stereotypes. In addition, while using the digital tools, the participants served
as assistants to each other. For example, one student held cameras, while another student
interviewed their partners and offered technical support. Also, to assist their peers, participants
who were proficient in technology demonstrated and modeled the appropriate way to use various
software
As a result of the Internet Lesson Plan artifact, I learned the importance of using rubrics
and consent forms prior to implementing projects. By communicating the expected behaviors
prior to implementing an assignment, students were able to demonstrate positive behaviors. Due
to my lesson on Cobb County School Districts Internet Acceptable use policy and the parent
consent letter, student behaviors were positive. I also learned the importance of giving students a
choice and providing opportunities to collaborate. By doing so, student motivation and academic
achievement increased, and negative behaviors decrease. If I could change one thing about this
artifact, I would change how I delivered feedback to my students. Instead of solely receiving
feedback from me, I would encourage students to provide feedback to their peers. According to
Hattie and Gan (2011), feedback is beneficial when there a meaningful language exchanged
between peers. Therefore, teachers should implement peer feedback by placing students in
groups and providing students the opportunity to give and receive feedback (Edutopia, 2011).
The work that went into creating the Internet Lesson Plan artifact can impact school
improvement because project based activities such as these, give students a choice which
improves classroom behaviors. To assess the impact the Internet Lesson Plan artifact had on
student learning, a self-reflection was implemented to determine student comprehension of the

Gray, R.
Internet Lesson Plan
Reflection
content. Students wrote brief summaries or tickets out the door to summarize what they have
learned that day. These tickets were checked to assess student comprehension. Rubrics were
also used to assess the activities and the final project.

Gray, R.
Internet Lesson Plan
Reflection
References
An Introduction to Project-Based Learning [Video file]. (2010). Edutopia. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFySmS9_y_0.
Canney, S. (2015, September 21). Learning by Doing: A teacher transitions into PBL. Retrieved
from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/learning-by-doing-teacher-transitions-pbl-shawncanney
Hattie, J., & Gan, M. (2011). Instruction Based on Feedback. Handbook of Research on
Learning
and Instruction.
Edutopia (Producer). (2011, June 22). Full-speed reform in rural Georgia [Video file]. Retrieved
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1vhn8w85GY
Toshalis, E., & Nakkula, M. J. (2012). Motivation, engagement, and student voice (pp. 1-50,
Publication). Boston, MA: Jobs for the Future.